Most violence against women takes place in the within the private sphere.
State responsibility arising out of acts by private individuals lies at the
heart of the gender-interpretation of the Convention against Torture. A
growing body of international human rights law has recognised State
responsibility for private acts when the state fails to exercise due diligence
in preventing, investigating, prosecuting, punishing and repairing human
rights violations. While it is obvious that not all violence against women
can be qualified as torture within the meaning of the Convention against
Torture, the mere fact that the perpetrator is a private individual rather
than a state official should not automatically lead to the exclusion of the
violence from the scope of the Convention against Torture as according to
its article 1, torture means not only acts of sever pain and suffering by the
a public official, but also at the instigation of or with the consent or acqui-
escence of a public official or other person acting in the official capacity.
Depending on the severity of the violence and the circumstances giving
rise to State responsibility, OMCT believes that violence against women
perpetrated by private individuals can constitute a form of torture or cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment.
Violence against women as it is found in Cameroon, a violence that in the majority of cases occur in the home, unfortunately is not new. Often the place that should be safer becomes the scene of brutality and cruelty. I was pleased that it was underline that it is the responsibility of the State to enact laws and measures to protect women who are victims of violence in their homes. In fact, a behaviour that is a violation of human rights must incur a penalty imposed by the State otherwise there will never be justice. Obviously I think it is important that women have the courage to denunciate inhuman and degrading treatment and they can enjoy of protection they need for don’t have fear of more violent repercussions for their act of courage. I have often commented your blog because I think it is a very important theme and that concerns us as female gender. The house becomes the place to build education and respect for the individual regardless of gender and if this does not happen, the state must play the role that has been assigned to and safeguard human rights as a core value.
ReplyDeleteAnna D'amico
15/12/2012
ReplyDeleteThe situation of women in Cameroon is very critical. Generally throughout the world, women are struggling to assert their rights in Western countries, and although we are in 2012.
Unfortunately, in Africa women live a much worse condition because there is not a legal system and even a cultural tradition to recognize the equal dignity of men and women.
In Cameroon every woman is a mother and a worker, in many cases she doesn’t have a husband so in her shoulders there are the responsibility and duty to take care of the home, raising children and assist the elderly, then the work on the fields.
In this country, women are strongly discriminated and with limited opportunities to have an education, they also suffer in many cases of abuse and violence of all kinds.
There is also a widespread trafficking of little girls used as slaves and exploited in every possible way. This is the harsh reality and personally I think that in these countries is necessary to work from the bottom, which means that some African “traditions” are too deeply rooted among the people and it will be very difficult to give dignity to these women in a short period.
So the starting point is the education that is basic and fundamental element for each person to have respect for others.
Isabella Juvarra
When we speak about the condition of women we must understand that exist different realities, usually fragmented and differentiated and we must consider the difference between the woman’s condition and the woman’s work: the two things cannot be taken separately. If in the West the job signifies often emancipation, personal realization and autonomy, in Africa work signifies speaks about life of women, their values and survival.
ReplyDeleteIn Africa the majority of women have a job; they are mother-nurse or mother-manufacturer; in the different countries the roles and the family relations can change, religion has an important role, but the significance of women don’t change. Her role is irreplaceable: she is responsible of the house and the family, of children’s education and work inside the house and the garden.
Another important distinction is between the woman of the countryside (villages) and city one: it seems contradictory but the woman who lives in the land enjoys of a well being and importance in recognition of her role greater than the woman who moves to the city, who get worse her condition. In the city there is more competition between men and women, and the men is more educated because they had more possibilities to study.
Nowadays the women who live in the city have sure more expectations of life, study and improving their conditions and the women who live in the villages are trying to go out their homes and become independent.
The polygamy is a religious factor that distinguishes African people, because it is seen as something positive: the wives often know each other, they meet and help themselves as a community.
One of the most serious problem is the risk of disease for pregnant women, often very young and for their babies, who could born with the same diseases and could die young.
Fertility becomes a symbol of a wealthy social position, but at the same time a dangerous weapon for the loss of their life.